What You Missed
by Liselle129
Summary: By request, this will be a set of scenes that were left out of the Epilogue of Destiny's Call. Rated T for earthy details of pregnancy and suggestive allusions. Chapter 13: The Change. Katara copes with the end of her fertile years, with Aang's help.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I'd been requested to do a collection like this back when I ended Destiny's Call. The chapters won't be in any particular order, but a couple of pregnancy ideas occurred to me.

Fans of Destiny's Call may remember that I wrote Aang and Katara dancing way back in Chapter 3 of that story. I found it strikingly similar to the scene in The Headband: Aang's confidence and control of the situation, Katara's slight reluctance and uncertainty, and the big dip at the end. It made me wonder if Mike & Bryan stumbled across my story. After all, I posted that chapter nearly a year ago, so they would have had plenty of time to incorporate my ideas. It would be interesting to know whether I'm that good at predicting what they'll do, or if they're actually pulling things from me. Anyway, on with the current story.

Morning Sickness 

Katara woke up very early, so early that it was still dark except for the moonlight pouring in the window. Once awake, she needed to answer a certain call of nature, so she used the chamber pot in a far corner. She finished with that and stood up, only to find herself suddenly gripped by another, more unusual urge. Taking a few steps across the room, she reached the empty washbasin just in time to begin vomiting into it.

"Katara?" Aang's groggy voice came from the bed. He'd been growing rapidly over the past year or so (he was now some three inches taller than she was), and Katara had noted in the months they'd been married that the amount he ate and slept had increased accordingly. When he was twelve, he would have already been up and raring to go at this time.

The only response Katara could give was to add another measure of last night's supper to the bowl. Aang was beside her in a second, rubbing her back and making sure her hair was out of the way.

"Katara!" he exclaimed. "What's the matter?" Deciding that her stomach had given up all it was going to for the moment, Katara took a few deep breaths, and then bended some water from the nearby pitcher to rinse out her mouth. Flicking his fingers almost negligently, Aang sent a spark towards an oil lamp near the bed, lighting the wick and providing additional illumination. One corner of Katara's brain marveled at how casually he used firebending now, especially when she recalled how much difficulty he'd had even trying it a couple of years ago. Aang brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Katara's face and rested a cool hand briefly on her forehead.

"You don't feel feverish," he commented softly.

"Must have been something I ate," she murmured, trying to think of what might have caused this.

"Do you think you're, uh, done for now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay. Let's get you back to bed." He carried her effortlessly to the bed and got her under the covers. Katara was grateful for this, since it was the middle of winter, and the stone room was cold. Aang then picked up the basin and headed toward the door. "I'll clean this out."

"Wait."

Aang turned to look at her.

"Could you bring me something to eat when you come back?"

"Are – are you sure?" he probed, blinking with confusion. Katara didn't blame him; she shouldn't want to eat right after that, but she did.

"I just feel like I need something to settle my stomach right now."

"Okay."

While he was gone, Katara realized that this wasn't the only unusual thing about the situation. Her throat didn't burn, and there was no sour taste in her mouth, like she would have expected. By the time Aang returned, juggling the washed basin, a medium-sized clay pot, and a hunk of brown bread, she thought she had an idea what was going on. She took the bread and began slowly eating it.

"Just in case," Aang explained, setting the pot on the floor beside her. Katara nodded, only half listening. He sat down on the bed beside her.

"Aang?" she said between nibbles.

"Hm?"

"Do you remember the last time I…bled?"

"Bled? Oh, you mean _that._" Katara's monthly time was not something the two of them had really discussed before their wedding, but she'd found that Aang had already become remarkably good at recalling it. With mild amusement, she suspected it probably had something to do with the fact that they typically abstained during those days. He frowned as he thought back.

"I remember the moon was dark," he mused, glancing at the window. Katara followed his gaze, although she could feel that the moon was nearly full. "That would have been two weeks ago, but that can't be right. It must have been the new moon before that, so…about six weeks."

"Oh, Aang," Katara breathed, almost laughing at herself. "I'm not sick. I'm pregnant!" Her bleeding had only become regular about a year ago, and it was such a nuisance that she had merely been grateful to be without it. She hadn't considered what the delay might mean.

"You…really? Well, that's great! Isn't it?" This last was added with an uncertain tone. Katara could understand his hesitancy, since she'd just been throwing up a few minutes before.

"Yes, it is great," she agreed. "Even if this part isn't much fun."

"How long is 'this part' supposed to last?"

Katara thought over the experiences of other pregnant women she'd known.

"About two months."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I'll have to try not to have an empty stomach, if I can help it," Katara began, recalling advice she'd heard Gran-Gran give. "I should keep some food next to the bed at night, too. If I can eat something before getting up, that should help. The first pregnancy is supposed to be the worst."

"This is amazing!" Aang exclaimed. He paused, though, brow furrowing with concern. "You're scared, though."

"Well, yeah," Katara admitted. They could usually sense each other's emotions, so there was no point in denying things. "My body's going to be changing a lot soon. I've seen other women go through it, but it's new to me and a little scary. I'm also wondering if we're ready to have a baby." She could feel his excitement, but some of her worry was echoed there, too.

"I'm going to have to get used to the idea," Aang agreed. "I mean, I'm still a kid, too. But I believe we can do this."

"As long as we're together, we can do anything." Katara squeezed his hand. After defeating the Fire Lord and changing the world, how hard could parenthood be? She was tired, but she lapsed into a short reverie. In about eight months, she would have a baby of her own to hold and care for, a helpless, dependent creature with Aang's large, gray eyes. It was a pleasant picture.

Meanwhile, Aang put one hand on her stomach. She was about to tell him that it was too early, he wouldn't feel anything yet, but then she remembered to whom she was talking and let him be. Aang closed his eyes, and his tattoos began to glow. After a few seconds, he smiled and opened his eyes, and the glow faded.

"I feel it," he said excitedly. "Just a spark of life, but it's definitely there. In a few more weeks, I probably would have sensed it without trying."

Katara reflected, not for the first time, how unique it was to be married to the Avatar. It was slightly odd to think that he could sort of look into her body, but on the other hand, he'd be sure to know if something was going wrong.

"I love you," she said suddenly. "I think you'll be a great father."

"I love you, too, and I _know _you'll be a great mom." Aang kissed her tenderly on the forehead, and Katara smiled. "Try to go back to sleep. You'll have to take extra care of yourself now."

"I'm sure you'll help me with that."

"Count on it." He brushed her cheek with his hand before rolling over and taking his own advice.

Eventually, Katara did drift off again, her hand still resting on the mystery forming inside her. Of all the adventures she and Aang had shared, this was likely to be the most interesting one yet.

--

Author's Note: Some of this was drawn from my own experiences and a little bit from David Eddings's Mallorean. I find that his work inspires a lot of mine. The next one will be later in Katara's pregnancy, but I don't really have any ideas beyond that right now. I'll just add to this as scenes occur to me.


	2. Chapter 2: Mood Swings

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I want to apologize to everyone who follows my stories for how long I've taken to update. It's been an extremely busy week, so I had hardly any time to write. The only reason this is done now is that I had a pretty good start on it right after finishing the previous one. This chapter takes place five months after that.

Mood Swings 

Aang sat on a cushion in the living area of the home he and Katara had made for themselves at the Eastern Air Temple. He'd done some remodeling, with the help of architects, technicians, and earthbenders, to combine several of the quarters previously used for parents with infants and toddlers into a comfortable apartment that he hoped would be adequate to their needs, even as their family grew.

The two of them were enjoying a peaceful afternoon at home. Aang's 15th birthday had been the week before, so all of the friends and relatives who could make it had been visiting. While it had been nice to see everyone, Aang discovered that it was actually a bit of a relief for him and Katara to have some time to themselves again.

"I'm fat," Katara announced suddenly.

"What?" Aang looked up from the message he was reading – an invitation he'd just received to attend a meeting of the Four Nations in Omashu. It was to be held next month, and though Aang was reluctant to go, he supposed that, as the last remaining Air Nomad, he had an obligation to be there.

"Well, look at me! I'm huge!"

Obediently, Aang looked. Katara had just placed some dirty dishes in the sink after completing one of her many "meals" of the day. The babies were crowding her stomach, so she couldn't eat much at any one time. Paradoxically, however, they were also demanding a great deal of sustenance, with the result that she was eating almost constantly.

His wife stood there with tendrils of hair escaping from her braid, curling and sticking to her forehead and temples in the summer heat. Her face was a little flushed, glowing with an inner light, and her eyes were incredibly blue and glistening. Her breasts had nearly doubled in size, which Aang privately considered to be a positive side effect of her condition. (The Avatar was many things, but at the heart of it all, he was still a guy.) Beneath her chest, Katara's belly swelled in a round testament to the lives she harbored. Aang thought she had never looked better.

"Katara, you're pregnant," he reminded her gently. He rubbed his right knee absently. Several of his joints had been aching lately. Katara called them "growing pains." Apparently, it had something to do with his bones growing faster than the softer tissue of his body, causing tendons and ligaments to become strained. More annoying than that, though, was the fact that he suddenly felt clumsy and awkward. He'd always wanted to be taller, of course, but growth had a price. Movements that he'd taken for granted for years now didn't work the way he expected, mostly because his arms and legs were entirely too long. Airbending was the one thing that had always been there for him, and Aang hated that he couldn't even count on that completely anymore. Everyone told him that he would adjust, but in the meantime, it was frustrating.

Interestingly enough, Katara was going through something similar, as her rapidly increasing bulk caused her to move differently. Actually, she'd even had troubles early on with tripping and running into things, as though her sense of balance had somehow been thrown off. It was funny, in a way, that this abrupt lack of coordination was something they could sort of share.

"I'm aware of that, but I'm only at six months!" Katara snapped. "I was with Suki at the end of her first pregnancy! She didn't get this big until a few weeks before she delivered!"

Aang set his letter aside and rose to place himself solidly in front of her.

"You're having twins," he pointed out patiently. "Two babies are bound to take up more room than one." As if to punctuate his point, one of the twins kicked vigorously. Katara winced, pressing her hand against the spot.

"Well, they're certainly strong. You know, they seem to respond to your voice."

"Really?" Aang blinked in surprise. He'd never noticed that.

"Yeah. It's almost like they want to play with you already."

Aang grinned at the thought of unborn airbenders already eager to begin their lessons. He didn't know for certain that they would be airbenders, but he thought it likely. Of course, they wouldn't be able to really learn anything for a few years, so in the meantime, he was just free to play with them. That sounded fun, too. He crouched down to talk directly at Katara's stomach, placing his hand there as well.

"I'm looking forward to playing with you, too, but not until you're ready," he told them, enjoying the ripples of movement as they "answered" him.

"You look really silly when you do that," Katara informed him, smiling indulgently.

"I don't care. I want them to know that I love them."

"I'm sure they do." Katara began easing herself onto a stool (it was too difficult for her to get up again if she sat on a cushion), and Aang supported her elbow to assist her.

"I don't know how you do it," Aang said, kneeling behind her and rubbing the small of her back. He knew the twins were putting a lot of pressure there. "I'm amazed by you every day." It was true. Aang had traveled the world extensively, but this was the most time he'd ever spent with a pregnant woman, and he was continually awed by what she was going through to produce children. Katara laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Oh, well, women have been having babies forever. There's nothing unusual about that."

"It's still incredible," Aang insisted. "Besides, they weren't the woman I love." He kissed her neck, and she made a little sound in the back of her throat. He wasn't sure if it was in response to the kiss or rubbing her back, but his body began to react regardless. Aang wondered if it was odd to want a pregnant woman. On the other hand, food hadn't been the only thing Katara had an increased appetite for lately, and it seemed only natural that he'd respond to that. Intimacy was becoming increasingly awkward, but creativity had always been one of Aang's strongest characteristics, and experimenting with their shared dreams helped to fill in the things they could no longer do physically.

"I just feel so bloated and ugly," said Katara. Given his recent musings, Aang actually found this humorous, but he didn't dare laugh. Instead, he moved around in front of her again.

"Katara," he began seriously, taking her hands in his. "You're carrying my – _our _– children. How could that not be beautiful?" A single sniff was his only warning before Katara burst into tears.

"You're always so sweet," she sobbed. "I don't deserve you!" Aang frowned in consternation as he embraced her. How was he supposed to respond to that? It had been five months since Katara had realized she was pregnant, and he still didn't feel like he had the hang of dealing with the various aspects of it. In all honesty, he'd been just beginning to get a handle on marriage before this new phase was thrust upon them.

Each stage seemed to have its own challenges. Early on, of course, there had been the nausea and fatigue, and Katara had been thirsty all of the time. Just as she had predicted, that was over after a couple of months, at which point she had definitely felt better and had more energy. This brought its own challenges, however, the most disconcerting of which (for Aang, at least) was her food requirements.

Since their wedding, Katara had more or less eaten the same vegetarian diet that Aang himself observed. He hadn't asked her to, but she'd done it without any comment. Starting at about four months pregnant, though, her appetite for meat had rivaled what Sokka's had ever been. She absolutely _had _to have it, and Aang had been infinitely grateful that a competent butcher and his family had been among those people of the Earth Kingdom to settle at the temple. Aang couldn't imagine having to slaughter their livestock to feed his wife and children, and he would have had no idea what to do after that, even if he'd managed it.

There were other odd cravings, which Aang occasionally found himself scouring the countryside to fulfill, but there were also the wild mood swings. Katara seemed to be in the middle of one set of these at the moment. Even their spiritual connection could only give him a second or two of notice when her dominant emotion was about to change. It seemed to surprise even her.

"I definitely don't deserve to be this happy," was the answer he settled on. It seemed to be the right one because Katara smiled up at him, recovering quickly from her outburst.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm so sick of my emotions going so crazy. I feel like I don't have control over my mind _or _my body!"

"I think I know how that feels," Aang replied with raised eyebrows. Katara wiped her eyes and gave a dry laugh.

"I guess you would," she admitted. Aang knew that they were both thinking about the Avatar State. It hadn't happened in a long time, but Aang had felt sort of shunted off to one side whenever that took over, unable to affect what his own body was doing. He didn't think he would ever forget the dreams he'd had where he'd seen himself in the Avatar State, frightening and unimaginably powerful. Katara had helped him get out of that state a number of times, so seeing her through these present moods felt like paying her back a little.

Aang slid back into a sitting position and lifted one of her legs, placing her foot in his lap. She was barefoot, since she complained that her shoes tended to squeeze her feet. Besides, it annoyed her that she had trouble reaching her feet to put them on by herself. The ankle was swollen, and he began to massage it, trying to move the blood along.

"You've been on your feet too much," he chided gently.

"I know," she admitted. "I guess I just want to be up and moving while I still can. I mean, I'm only going to get bigger."

Aang did not answer but closed his eyes and focused his abilities. Trailing his fingers gently across her skin, he sensed the excess fluids and moved them along their natural pathways to circulate through her body. It was delicate waterbending, requiring finesse and a great deal of concentration. Aang wasn't quite as good at it as Katara was, but he could offer her some relief. He switched to the other foot.

"I know you need to move around," he said when he'd finished. "I think it's the standing still that's causing the problem." Katara murmured noncommittally.

Aang glanced over to where his abandoned parchment lay. He would have to bring it up to her eventually, but now didn't seem the best time. According to his calculations, he would make it back several weeks before she reached her time, but he still wasn't sure she would take it well.

Sighing inwardly, Aang started figuring how old his airbender children would need to be to attend these meetings in his stead. Sixteen? Almost immediately, he had to resist the urge to laugh at himself. The traveling nomad had somehow become a homebody. With a bemused smile, he regarded his wife, finding a new reason to be impressed with her.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Katara asked, and they both burst out laughing. Though the situation was completely different, it was so much like one of their first conversations.

"I was just thinking how much I love you," he replied, carefully getting up onto his knees and leaning over to kiss her.

"Oh. Was that what you were thinking back then, too?"

"Pretty close."

Aang sat down leaned against her, delighting in the simple closeness. Where once he had longed to see the world, now he wanted nothing more than to stay at home with his wife. Incredible as it was, Katara had single-handedly knocked the wanderlust of countless generations out of him.

And he couldn't be happier.

--

Author's Note: A lot of these things didn't actually happen to me during my pregnancies, but they happened to other women I know, and they're all pretty common symptoms. This wasn't as focused as the last one, but I think it turned out okay.

Review responses:

Billeh: It must be contagious. Now I'm having trouble keeping up with my writing. I have far more ideas than time to write, and all the new episodes just keep adding to my reservoir!

Kimba616: Yes, 14 and 16. Aang is just 15 in this chapter.

Tokkalover: I'm trying! Really!

Aangsfan: Yay back!

MyOtherName: Obviously, I had to answer most of your comments privately. It's okay that you couldn't think of much for the story in particular. I've missed your lengthy reviews. I guess the Avatar abilities would be kind of weird, but I feel like I need to bring in the uniqueness of their characters so that they're not just a random couple expecting a baby.

libowiekitty: Well, the creators have no obligation to let us know. This all technically belongs to them, anyway, since without their concept, there would be no fanfiction. It just struck me so forcefully how similar it was.

SnakeEyes16: I hadn't thought of it that way, but I suppose you're right. However, I don't think it really counts unless somebody else writes missing scenes for my story. I can see it now – a whole web site devoted to writing things that were left out of other people's fanfiction…

Justcallmewolfy: Thanks. Now you see what's next!

intricate designs: I was referring to the morning sickness portion, which usually ends at about three months.

Aangs fangirl1214: Thank you! I'm not sure this one's quite as good. It's not built so specifically on one event, which made it a little harder to focus.

DU EBRITHIL: I have no idea.


	3. Chapter 3: Water Tribe Lullaby

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Technically, this was a scene left out of Chapter 44 rather than the Epilogue of Destiny's Call, but I still think it qualifies.

Water Tribe Lullaby 

"Waaah!" A baby's cry rang through the night air. Sokka was just registering this when he felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder.

"Your turn," said Suki, sounding exhausted.

"Mmphgnd," mumbled Sokka. At age 17, waking up quickly was still not part of his repertoire, at least not when there was no immediate threat. The back of his mind tried to warn him that there would be one if he didn't get moving, but his sluggish body simply couldn't respond.

The thump on his head a second later was nowhere near gentle.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, sitting up suddenly and rubbing the sore spot. _I had to marry a warrior._

"It's your turn," Suki repeated, slowly and emphatically.

"I can't feed him," he protested. He didn't really expect this to work. It hadn't worked for the last three nights. However, his recent lack of sleep was inhibiting his creativity.

"I just did," answered Suki, lying down and closing her eyes. "He just needs to be held and talked to."

Sighing, Sokka lurched to his feet and stumbled to the next room. The original plan had been for their newborn son, Mako, to share a room with them. Suki had quickly found, though, that every murmur and shift he made in his sleep woke her up, which meant that she got even less rest than she otherwise could have. Besides, Katara was staying with them and wanted to help out, and she was understandably reluctant to go into the bedroom of her brother and his wife in order to pick up the baby. There was obviously nothing of note going on in there currently (not even sleep, really), but it was the principle.

Sokka had already reached the doorway to the nursery before he realized that the crying had stopped. He peered cautiously through the gloom. Katara sat with the baby in her arms, rocking him back and forth and speaking softly to him. Then, she began to sing, very softly:

_Sleep, sleep, my little one  
Sleep while we wait for the rising sun.  
Winter's here, making endless night,  
But your smiles give my heart light._

_Sleep, sleep, though the day draws near.  
Light shines on all when the summer's here.  
Snow and ice shine clean and bright,  
Until then, my dear, good night._

Sokka withdrew out of sight and held tightly to the doorframe with one hand. He recognized the song as a Southern Water Tribe lullaby their mother used to sing to them. It wasn't just the song, either. Katara looked so much like her, sitting there with the baby. Sokka could almost believe it was a strange, impossible vision of his mother, holding him. His eyes began to sting. He would _not _cry. It was just that he was so incredibly tired, that was all.

Peering around the corner, he watched Katara kiss the baby gently, but he didn't want to disturb the scene. As quietly as he could manage, Sokka retreated to his bedroom.

"Katara's got him," he explained, not even sure if Suki was awake enough to hear it. She murmured something that sounded like an acknowledgment. Sokka slipped gratefully back into bed. He was scarcely aware as the thought crossed his mind that Katara was going to make a great mother someday. An instant later, he was asleep. In the morning, he would remember only the song and wonder why it was stuck in his head.

--

Author's Note: I guess it was about time I did a little tribute to Mako, so there it is. The sleeplessness after a baby is born is one of those things that people can tell you, but you don't really understand it until it actually happens. I wrote the poem myself. I originally came up with the idea of a Water Tribe lullaby to work into Destiny's Call (it was going to be after Zuko sang his song, to give you an idea how long ago it was). It just seemed like too much of a diversion, and I never wrote it down, so this is what I remember combined with a few new lines.

Review responses:

vanillalilies: Well, cute and funny is kind of what I'm going for, I guess.

Billeh: I haven't noticed much difference when it comes to men. My 48-year-old husband talks and acts like a 15-year-old sometimes.

redskin122004: I might be mistaken, but weren't you the one who said you already knew it all?;) Glad to help, anyway!

Aangsfan: Thank you very much!

MyOtherName: Check your reviews for Captive. Increased sexual desire is quite common during the second trimester, due to the combination of hormonal changes and the fact that the woman feels healthy and full of life. My brother was tall, but his knees still ached for practically the entire time he was 14 and 15. He outgrew a new suit in 7 months.

poka: I've had the complaint (with Destiny's Call, mostly) that I use too much dialogue, but since I was basing it on the TV show, heavy dialogue seemed appropriate to me. Anyway, I'm happy you thought the balance was good.

PrincessAirana: Wow, I didn't know it was so hard to find! No, it's not done. I don't really know how many chapters it will be. I'll just add new ideas as they come to me.

inlovewithkatara: Thanks; I plan to!

libowiekitty: I didn't think it was _that _funny, but thanks!

intricate designs: Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4: Family Vacation

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Happy New Year! I've been laboring on this one for quite some time, and I hope it shows. I am sorry it took me so long to come up with another chapter.

Family Vacation 

Katara found it strange to be back in the Fire Nation palace – and on vacation, no less! Until now, she had not been inside the building since that fateful day more than 14 years ago, when Aang had ended the war, and she had nearly died. Considering that situation, it felt all the more surreal that she and her family were actually there as invited guests of the Firelord.

Aang had been here several times, of course, mediating various negotiations and helping Firelord Zuko clear out remnants of the army loyal to the late Ozai. Some of these errands had cost Katara a few sleepless nights. However, when this current summons had come (on Katara's 29th birthday, as it happened) to assist with a trade dispute between the crown and the settlement at the Western Air Temple, Aang had decided that it was finally safe enough to bring his family along and show them around. They had not gone anywhere since the last two sets of twins were born, and Katara felt that she could use a change of scenery, so she'd agreed.

It was not all that far from the Eastern Air Temple to the Fire Nation, but they'd still had to make several stops along the way. The older children rode their gliders so as not to tire Appa too much, but they couldn't keep that up indefinitely. Meanwhile, Aang guided the bison and kept one eye on the gliders as Katara and her niece Kira, who'd come to live with them when she was 10, held tight to the little ones in the saddle.

"Hey, I'm back!" Aang called as he entered the spacious apartment they'd been assigned. Seven girls and two boys immediately clustered around him (the toddlers and infants were miraculously napping all at the same time). He stretched his arms out to include as many of them as possible, and Katara surveyed the scene contentedly for a few moments.

Aang had grown considerably over the first few years of their marriage, finally stopping at age 17. He now topped Zuko by about two inches, and Sokka had been known to complain that a vegetarian had no right to get that tall. At any rate, Aang's new stature suited his position as the Avatar and made it easier for him to be intimidating when the need arose. Of course, he still couldn't intimidate Katara. When you slept with a man on a regular basis, it grew difficult to be awed by him.

The young Avatar had changed in other ways, as well, but it had all happened so gradually that Katara didn't really notice until times like these, when she would take a step back and draw comparisons between the 14-year-old kid she'd married and the man he'd become. He retained a slight build, but he'd definitely put on additional muscle in his shoulders, arms, and chest. It wasn't so obvious when he was wearing his layered monk's robes, like now, but Katara knew his body well and could mentally trace out the lines hidden by clothing. Though his face was still generally round in shape, Aang's nose, cheekbones, and jaw had sharpened and become slightly more prominent.

Aang had tried to grow a mustache a few years ago, but it had never really filled in, and Katara hadn't liked it anyway, so he'd given up on it. His chin-whiskers, on the other hand, had only come in five or six at a time. Faced with the dilemma of either taking the trouble to shave such a meager amount or leaving them growing in unkempt fashion, Aang chose neither. Instead, he had borrowed Zuko's firebending trick of singeing them off so he didn't have to deal with them anymore.

Katara turned her attention to the offspring still vying for position around their father. She called her large group of children her "little rainbow" due to the range of skin tones they represented. None was quite as dark as she was, but there weren't any nearly as pale as Aang, either. In fact, the entire image she was seeing right now was remarkably similar to a sort of daydream she'd had long ago, and she wondered if it had been a true vision after all. If so, it was the only time she'd been granted a genuine view of the future.

"All right, let your father breathe," the waterbender finally waded into the seething mass, grabbing two of the youngsters at random and pulling them away. The two eldest, Keylana and Tien-Anh, stepped sedately back on their own, both proudly wearing the necklaces they'd received for their twelfth birthday just a few months prior. (Once Aang and Katara started to realize how many children they were going to have, the names became simpler, like Ming and Yi, but these first two represented the fancy of new parents.) They looked remarkably similar to Katara, except for the gray eyes that marked them as airbenders. Aang absolutely doted on them, though whether because of their striking resemblance to their mother or simply because Keylana was the first baby he'd ever held, Katara didn't know.

The 8-year-old triplets, on the other hand, looked exactly like feminine versions of their father. Aang would sometimes joke that this was too bad for them, but Katara thought the three of them were very pretty, with their round faces, ready smiles, and wide, gray eyes. Of course, she might have been just the _tiniest _bit biased on the subject. The rest of the children were fairly even mixtures of their parents' features.

Now free to move, albeit with two 6-year-old boys clinging to his legs, Aang crossed the room and flopped down on the divan, the other siblings remaining close. Although she already had four children younger than they were, the two boys still had Katara in something of a state of shock. The amount of energy and capacity for mischief they possessed never ceased to amaze her, and she swore that they were more work to keep up with than the eldest four girls combined.

Keylana and Tien-Anh claimed their positions of dominance on either side of their father while the younger children squeezed in where they could or settled themselves on the floor at Aang's feet.

"I can't believe how incredibly dull this all is," he complained. "You'd think people could figure out how to settle a simple trade dispute without getting the Avatar involved." Katara smiled indulgently, but she knew as well as he that it was not that simple. The Western Air Temple, which had been settled by returning Fire Nation soldiers and colonists recalled from the Earth Kingdom, had already become largely self-governing and was currently trying to establish fair prices for the goods they produced, as well as haggling over how much in taxes they really owed to their sovereign. Katara still didn't know too much about Fire Nation politics, but she suspected it was only a matter of time before the island declared its independence.

"Hungry?" she asked her husband.

"Starving!" he acknowledged. He then turned to his eldest daughters. "How soon until you two can take this stuff over for me?" Katara shook her head as she put together some remnants from their lunch, knowing this to be a joke. He eventually might be able to delegate some tasks, but he was still the only Avatar. In any case, the humor appeared to go right over the heads of the kids.

"I'm ready now, Daddy," said Tien-Anh seriously. Her elder twin nodded agreement.

"I'm sure you are," Aang replied affectionately. He ruffled Tien-Anh's hair, pulling some of it out of its braid and eliciting an indignant squeal as she raised her hands to smooth it down. "But I think we'll let you be a kid just a little bit longer." His eyes met Katara's as he said this, and she knew he was thinking of all the responsibility that was thrust upon him at the very same age. Neither of them wanted their children to grow up too fast. Of course, Katara had taken on adult responsibilities even earlier, but the difference in her case was that it had been voluntary. She brought him the plate of food, and Aang used firebending to reheat it.

"Is it really that bad, Uncle Aang?" Kira chimed in. Sokka's daughter, now 11, had been hanging back, continuing to put the lunch dishes back onto the series of trays on which they'd been served. The girl had been a tremendous help to Katara over the past two years, assisting with the younger children and household chores in exchange for bending lessons whenever they could squeeze them in. She'd even been present when the newest babies were born, which had undoubtedly been an educational experience of another kind for her.

"Well, I suppose it _is _better than facing off against a trained squad of firebenders with only three people," Aang conceded reluctantly as he munched on some noodles.

"You're uncle's exaggerating," Katara assured her niece. "He just hates being cooped up inside for any length of time." Aang shrugged and did not contradict her assessment.

While Aang ate, he listened very seriously as his kids imparted to him, in haphazard fashion, their activities of the morning. He was a wonderful father, which came as no surprise to Katara. He'd always been a magnet for children, and that trait not only extended to his own offspring but had also not faded with age at all.

When he was done with his meal, Aang stood up and set the plate and chopsticks aside. He took his leave from everyone, to many groans of disappointment. He laughed, apologizing that he couldn't spend more time with them this afternoon.

"I promise we'll have airbending lessons in the morning. And…" here he paused to make sure he had everyone's attention, especially since some excited murmurs had already begun. "Tonight we're going out to dinner!" A chorus of cheering greeted this announcement, and Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise. Going out to eat was a rare treat, indeed, and their whole family had never done it together. She stepped closer to her husband.

"I hope you're planning to reserve the entire restaurant," she murmured under the cover of the cacophony. As much as she loved her children, Katara did not wish to inflict them upon unsuspecting diners. Aang flashed the mischievous grin she'd first fallen in love with nearly 15 years ago. Even after all this time and 13 children together, it still tugged at her in a way she couldn't explain.

"Actually, I was planning to invite the royal family as well," he added. A couple of the girls heard that and began babbling about it while Katara threw back her head and laughed.

"That should certainly make it easier to shut down the place," she commented. It would also be nice to spend some time with their whole families together. Maybe Katara would actually get to talk with Song a little. She had always seemed like a very nice woman, but Katara hadn't had the opportunity to get to know her very well.

"Will Iroh be there?" asked Ming, one of the 10-year-olds. Crown Prince Iroh was now 13, and Katara suspected that more than one of her daughters had a crush on him.

"And Soko?" added another voice, referring to Zuko's younger son, who was ten. Katara couldn't find the source, but she thought it was one of the triplets.

"Is it starting already?" Aang observed with a plaintive sigh.

"You wanted to have mostly daughters," Katara reminded him playfully. She was sure they had both noticed that there had been no mention of Zuko's daughter Anza, although several of the girls had played with her for many hours over the past three days. On the other hand, maybe that was the reason.

"Yeah, I guess I wasn't thinking this far ahead." Aang leaned down toward the children conspiratorially. "Actually, I have it on good authority that the princes and princess are done with their lessons for the day."

"Can we go play with them?" clamored several voices. "Can we, Mom?"

"Yes, you may," she replied. Actually, Katara was a little relieved that they would be occupied elsewhere, especially when she heard crying coming from one of the bedrooms. "See you tonight," she said quickly to Aang, giving him a quick but heartfelt kiss before she went to deal with her awakening youngsters.

"Ewww," chimed the two boys, but the girls made no comment. Katara chuckled lightly to herself, already thinking about the steps she would need to take and how much time she would need to get everyone washed and dressed in time for their outing. Tonight should prove to be very interesting.

--

Author's Note: I was about halfway through this when I realized that it would sort of beg for a sequel showing what happens that evening, so that one may be forthcoming. I'm afraid I can't promise when the next one will be done.

Review responses:

vanillalilies: I really like Sokka, and it's fun to get inside his head sometimes. Sorry there was such a long wait between chapters.

Billeh: Well, at least you're not alone. 5 years ago, I never would have thought I'd find myself now writing copious fiction based on a cartoon!

AvatarKatara38: Thanks, and I'm sorry I took so long to give you more to read. However, I have many other fics if you're interested in between updates.

shiro-wolfman-k: That's okay. I do check in on your profile once in a while to see if there are any new reviews or anything.

Ginriku: Thank you and sorry about the wait.

jliljj: Thanks! I was just thinking about what people living at the South Pole might come up with to sing their children to sleep, and the words came to me.

Justcallmewolfy: Thank you very much! It's the details I tend to have fun with, and I work very hard to keep everyone in character while allowing for age and life experience changes.

redskin122004: Thank you for being a good sport. I simply couldn't resist the dig, and I'm sorry. I usually sing Broadway tunes to my kids, but I'm odd.

poka: Yep, I totally made it up.

Aangs fangirl1214: Yes, having a baby is hard. Not sleeping was bad enough, but it was even harder to not be able to eat because my firstborn wanted me to be holding him all day! Any time I could get him to lie down for 15 minutes, I had to go fix a meal.

libowiekitty: Thank you, and I guess the Katara-as-mother motif came up for Sokka in The Runaway, as well.

intricate designs: Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5: Dinner Out

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Here it is, the dinner in the Fire Nation. A lot of it is Katara and Song catching up, but I also tried to allude to the chaos of Aang and Katara's family. I talk a lot about the difficulties of raising boys because I have two of my own.

**Dinner Out**

Amazingly, everyone was washed and dressed on time for their evening out. Kira braided the last of the girls' hair while Katara and Aang packed everything the babies might need. Katara caught Aang surveying her with what appeared to be a critical eye.

"Is something wrong?" she asked anxiously. She didn't get dressed up very often, and she was not very secure about her body after six pregnancies.

"No, you look great," he assured her, punctuating his comment with a swift kiss. "As always. I was just thinking, when was the last time you bought anything new to wear?"

"I don't know," Katara shrugged. Material possessions had never meant very much to her, and she made a lot of their clothes. She would sometimes barter with either the other Eastern Air Temple settlers or nearby Earth Kingdom towns to get new things for the children but rarely for herself. "Our last trip to Ba Sing Se, maybe?"

"Katara, that was five years ago!"

"So?"

"So, everybody's taking a day off from the negotiations tomorrow," said Aang. "After I've given the kids their lesson, why don't we all go tour the city and buy you a new dress? Fire Nation silk is the best in the world!"

"Then why haven't you brought anything back for me from your other visits?" Katara couldn't resist teasing him.

"Your size keeps changing," he replied reasonably. "And it's hard to find just the silk cloth, even for the Avatar. A lot of it gets claimed by the noble houses, so the tailors and dressmakers are careful about what supply they have left."

"I wouldn't have known what to do with it, anyway," Katara admitted. She was far more accustomed to dealing with animal skins and wool, and she would have been afraid of damaging the more fragile fabric.

"So, this is perfect. You're not pregnant right now, so we can get something that will fit you for a long time."

"Until I get pregnant again." Katara had to admit that she'd have been terribly upset if he'd come home with something that would have fit her, say, on their wedding day. It was pretty tempting.

"You might not," he pointed out, although Katara knew neither of them really believed that. "Besides, after six times, I don't think the seventh will change your body any more."

"I don't really need it," Katara objected weakly, knowing that she was just about to give in. Aang grinned at her, also sensing his advantage.

"Of course not," he agreed cheerfully. "What fun would it be if I only ever gave you the things you needed?" Katara laughed, feeling the infectiousness of his mood. She started to heft the sack of diapers and such over her shoulder, but Aang wordlessly took it from her and carried it himself. Katara rolled her eyes but allowed his show of chivalry.

"All right, it's a date," she conceded.

"Great!" They went out into the main room.

"Enough wrestling, boys," declared Katara, hardly needing to look to know that they were engaging in their favorite pastime. "You'll wrinkle your clothes." They stood up, and she smoothed their tunics and their unruly, dark hair.

Even naming the boys had been difficult. Katara had wanted to name one of them after Aang, but he'd objected that it would be hard enough to be the son of the Avatar without sharing his name. They'd tossed around a couple of other options, eventually settling on Lam and Kuzon, in memory of two of Aang's friends from the days before the war. By all accounts, they were excellently representing their namesakes.

Aang picked up one of the babies from where she played on the floor and kissed her cheek, making her giggle. The two youngest were at the age where peek-a-boo was absolutely hilarious, and Aang would routinely play it with them well beyond the attention span Katara had for the game.

Katara loved to watch Aang with their children. It was as though he had taken all the love he'd once felt for all his people and first poured it into Katara, and then expanded it again to encompass their growing family. Knowing how great his capacity for love was, she was very happy to have provided him with an outlet. There were others in their lives he cared about, of course, but home was clearly his focus.

Katara lifted the other infant twin and sat her on her hip, grateful that the rest of the children could walk. She used her free arm to grasp the hand of one of the three-year-olds, and with the others forming irregular chains of older with younger siblings, they were on their way.

The Royal Family was already present when the Avatar's family arrived at the restaurant, which had been fully reserved for their use. Katara nodded to Lady Mother Ursa and Prince Kenzo, whom she had not seen in quite some time. Now in his early twenties, Kenzo had changed a lot from the scrawny child who'd run wild in Ba Sing Se. He wasn't married yet, but the servants whispered rumors that it might happen soon.

A very long table had been set up, running much of the length of the dining room. Zuko sat in the pre-eminent spot at the head, perhaps unconsciously. Katara took a seat beside Song, arranging Hana beside her in a special, suspended seat that could be attached to the table by means of a clamp. Aang was doing much the same thing with Wen Li, so the twins were between the parents. Ursa was on the other side of Zuko, opposite Song, and Kenzo took up a spot next to his mother. The kids of the two families interspersed themselves, the older girls furtively jockeying for position near the princes.

Keylana, Tien-Anh, and Kira managed to get the other children arranged in a satisfactory manner, making sure they were near the toddlers in case they needed help with their food. Katara poured out small measures of puffed rice for the little ones to munch on while everyone ordered and waited for their food. She'd nursed the infants shortly before leaving, so she didn't expect they'd be hungry for a while, but it would help keep them occupied.

"I really don't know how you do it, Katara," Song remarked, looking down the long table with a disbelieving expression.

"Oh, it's not as bad as it looks," said Katara. "Having two or three babies at a time is a lot of work right at the beginning, but they have each other for company, and by the age of two, they're playing with each other well enough that you hardly need to worry about entertaining them. You just have to take care of the basics."

"By which time you've had another set," Song reminded her.

"Usually, yes," Katara was forced to admit. "The older girls have been a big help since they got old enough. The triplets were definitely tough, especially with four other small girls to handle. After all, they needed to eat as often as other newborns, almost constantly, and I only have two." She gestured at her chest.

"So what did you do?"

"We supplemented them with cow-sheep milk for a few months," Katara shrugged. "That let Aang help with the feeding so I could occasionally get some sleep. I think it's the only thing that kept me sane, although Aang might say it didn't quite work."

"What are you saying about me?" Aang put in, turning away from his conversation with Kenzo.

"Oh, nothing, dear," Katara responded. "Just saying what a great father you are."

"Mm-hmm." Aang raised an eyebrow as though he didn't quite believe her. His eyes caught and held hers, and Katara felt hers widen. She didn't know what had brought it on, but when he looked at her like that, she swore she could feel another pregnancy coming on. Shaking it off, she turned back to Song.

"There have always been people around to help out," she resumed. "And Aang has all the ones older than five in airbending lessons a lot of the time."

"It still seems like a lot to do," said Song. "I have a whole staff to run my household, and there's only seven of us!"

"Yes, but yours is a royal court. We live simply, and the housework really isn't too bad. When you have a house full of airbenders, dust never settles on anything, and my waterbending helps me do the dishes and laundry quickly. Kira and Aang both help with those, and the kids start chores at the age of six. I guess the hardest thing is finding time to sew clothing."

"What about cooking?" Song pressed.

"I've learned to do a lot with a little and to make things that just simmer for hours so you don't have to think about it," replied Katara with a laugh. "The downside is, I don't know how to cook for less than ten people anymore. It may surprise you, but Aang's turned into a pretty good cook, too. With vegetarian dishes, at least."

"That is surprising," Song responded. "You just don't think of the Avatar doing things like that." The food came, and there was some chaos while the dishes were distributed and the adults and older kids got the younger ones to start eating.

"Well, he still has to eat," Katara pointed out after the meal was well begun. "Once the babies started coming, he quickly figured out that if he wanted to keep eating, he'd have to make it himself. I certainly didn't have the time."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Kuzon, turn around and eat your dinner," Katara snapped suddenly down the table. He'd been on his knees, facing the back of the chair and making faces at the waitress. She thought it was cute, which only encouraged him.

"Lam, don't pull your sister's hair," Aang added sternly. "_Any _of your sisters." This last part was necessary, as the boys had reached a phase where they took everything you said absolutely literally. Fortunately, his brother was across the table, so he couldn't reach.

"If my two boys had come first, like yours, I don't know if I would have wanted any more," Katara sighed with exasperation. Song chuckled at that.

"Well, I only had one at a time," she reminded the younger woman. "Besides, they have their moments."

"Don't get me wrong; I love them," Katara put in hurriedly. "They're just so active! Just spending the day with the two of them can wear me out. It seemed like they'd just learned to walk, and the next day, they were running, climbing…and falling. With the girls, I could leave them alone for five minutes without hearing a thump and a cry of pain."

"Not to mention that they seem to break everything they touch," Song agreed. "You might actually be lucky in having them the same age, though. I can't tell you how many things Iroh managed to talk Soko into doing when they were younger."

"They're awfully clingy, too."

"Well, _that _doesn't seem to change with time," Song remarked archly, casting a sidelong glance at her husband.

"I heard that," he informed her, glaring down his sharp nose. "I am _not _clingy."

"Well, I am," Aang said, joining the conversation again as he mopped up a spill made by Wen Li knocking over a water cup. "I'm not ashamed to admit it." At this, Zuko's stern countenance broke, and he smiled. Age and fatherhood had softened him quite a bit, even as the responsibilities of leadership had formed shallow lines on his face prematurely. He turned his attention away from them, calling for some bread from down the table.

"This is probably my favorite age," Katara confided, gesturing to 9-month-old Hana and Wen Li. "They can sit up on their own, but they're not very mobile yet. You can give them a block of wood, and they'll be fascinated for an hour." Hana whined, and Katara saw that she had either finished her rice or knocked it onto the floor. Katara broke off a crust of bread and let her nibble at it. She suspected the twins were teething.

"I don't know," Song replied thoughtfully. "I like it when they get to be about three. They can really start communicating, and you can play games with them because they finally understand rules."

The rest of the evening passed quickly, and Katara thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Song. She hadn't spent much time with her before and resolved to do so during the rest of their stay.

Most of the children were pretty worn out by the time they arrived home. The babies fell asleep while Katara fed them, which worked out nicely. By the time she'd laid them in their cribs, Aang and the older girls had taken care of the rest. Katara hugged Keylana, Tien-Anh, and Kira good-night as they took to their beds as well.

Once in the bedroom she shared with Aang, Katara dropped the dress carelessly to the floor, pretending she didn't notice her husband watching her from the doorway. The door closed with a soft click, and he came up behind, running his hands along the bare skin of her slightly thickened waist and coming to rest on her hips.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"No," answered Katara, feeling playful. She turned around to face him, keeping their bodies in contact the whole time. "Why don't you show me?"

Grinning broadly, he proceeded to do so, proving to Katara that the heat of the Fire Nation didn't necessarily involve bending.

--

Author's Note: No, she doesn't get pregnant during this trip. The next children aren't born for more than a year after this. I could do the shopping/sightseeing trip, but that probably won't be the next chapter. The next month is likely to be very busy for me, so don't be surprised if there isn't much new in that time.

Review responses:

Billeh: All 2-year-olds kind of act like they have ADHD, especially the boys. However, when my youngest got cranky at that age, it turned out that he actually had an infection, and he became much more easygoing once that was cleared up.

MC Defenseless: Well, I figure there's no reliable method of birth control in their world. So when you consider that they have a nation to repopulate, as you said, and assume that they will continue to want to express their love for each other, they ought to have a large family.

Justcallmewolfy: Yeah, I agree that Aang should remain clean-shaven. I've noticed that the older men in this world usually have facial hair, though, so I wanted to address it.

Kumai290: I agree. I think they should have lots of kids.

Opaul: I think blending serious and funny into stories is my unique ability. I think it stems from the fact that I believe life is funny.

Aangs fangirl1214: And if you remember Destiny's Call, they're not done yet! They end up having 20, and one of their daughters does marry Zuko's second son, whom I named Soko as my own private joke.

BlackRose108: It didn't turn out quite as chaotic as might have been envisioned, but that's hard to convey. I sort of did the "alone time" you were mentioning at the end.

Kumori Doragon: I didn't want to make it too easy, so I kind of covered the issues Katara's had in this chapter. Still, after the first four or so, you'd think it would become a sort of routine.

libowiekitty: Thanks for noticing! It's very hard to come up with individual personalities for so many, but I've tried to highlight a few.

ilovekataang: Your timing was just about perfect! I was almost done with this chapter when you reviewed.


	6. Chapter 6: Celebration

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Yay, a new installment! Maybe it's because I am married, but I just love these little moments between married couples, and this is really the only collection that allows me free rein to write them.

Celebration 

Aang's head came up suddenly, like prey animal testing the air for danger. Something had changed inside of him. Katara had moved out of the easy range of their spiritual link, which didn't make any sense. It was the 20th anniversary of the defeat of Firelord Ozai, so they'd come to Ba Sing Se to celebrate as guests of the king. Older relatives or servants were taking care of the children who'd already been sent to bed, so it was supposed to give them a rare chance to enjoy the evening. Where had she gone, and why didn't she tell him she was leaving?

Unfortunately, he couldn't see any option but to finish the dance with his current partner – some high-born Earth Kingdom girl half his age – so as not to seem rude. If Katara were in danger, he'd have a valid excuse for bolting out of the hall, but he didn't sense anything of the kind.

Finally, he was able to politely withdraw from the star-struck teen. She was like many girls he'd long ago learned to ignore, angling persistently to spend a few moments with the Avatar but apparently struck dumb the moment he actually addressed her. Instantly forgetting about her, Aang scanned the room and found his eldest daughter.

Keylana was now a lovely young woman of 17, looking the very image of her mother at that age, only with skin a shade lighter and eyes as gray as storm clouds. Aang was only saddened to think that he would soon be losing her. In addition to her mother's necklace, she wore a betrothal bracelet on her left wrist that Aang had made himself. To make the feeling of loss that much more acute, he suspected that her twin would not be far behind.

"What's the matter, Dad?" Keylana broke into his thoughts. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I was just thinking how fast the time has gone. Sometimes it seems only last week I was changing your diapers."

"Oh, Daddy!" Keylana exclaimed exasperatedly, and Aang smiled at the fact that he'd gotten her to use the more childish title. "Are you sure you're not confusing me with one of my sisters?" Aang laughed out loud at that. Certainly, there were still two toddlers in the house, with more babies on the way.

"Point," he acknowledged before getting to his real reason for talking with her. "I was wondering if you knew where Mom's gone."

"I think she went back to your apartment. She said something about enough festivities for one evening."

"All right. Thank you." Aang left his daughter to her own amusements and stretched out his mind to touch his wife's. He supposed he would understand if her current pregnancy had tired her, but that wasn't what he felt in his head. It seemed more like…anger.

_What have I done now?_ the Avatar wondered. He had no doubt that he was somehow responsible for her mood. Accepting blame for things that upset Katara, especially while she was pregnant, had become second nature. He paused to ask Suki (it was still odd to realize that he had a sister-in-law) if she would make sure all of his teenage daughters were adequately chaperoned before making his way through the corridors of the Earth King's palace.

Due to the sheer size of their family (15 children now and counting), they'd split up into different quarters. The older girls wanted a little space, anyway, so only the four youngest were sharing with their parents. The boys were a bit of a dilemma, since at just 11, they were capable of causing a great deal of mayhem without adequate supervision. This was solved by giving them the charge of the 8-year-olds and placing the four of them in the room right next to Aang and Katara. Truthfully, the 8-year-old girls were mature enough that it was unclear exactly who was watching whom, but that was so much the better.

Aang stepped into their room to find his wife reclining on a divan with her feet up. She'd already had time to change into a loose, white nightdress. She was at five months now, and her abdomen was already quite large. Her body easily gave in now to the expansion required by growing babies, and there were three this time.

"So. You noticed I was gone, did you?" Katara asked in a calm yet icy tone. Aang was not fooled by her relaxed appearance. He knew that his every word would be weighed, and he had to be very careful.

"Yes, and I was worried," he replied blandly. "Are you and the triplets all right?"

"We're quite fine, thank you. I thought you were well occupied, so I might as well leave."

Aang couldn't miss the acid in her tone, but he was at a loss to understand it.

"I was just trying to be polite. Everybody expects the Avatar to be sociable at these things, and I don't go to very many."

"Oh, so now it's my fault you don't get out much?"

"What? No! I never—" Aang spread his hands, completely flummoxed. He cast about for anything he thought might placate her. "You told me to dance with her!"

"That doesn't mean I wanted you to!"

Defeated, Aang sank down on the floor in a heap, putting his head in his hands.

"I will _never _understand women," he declared emphatically. After 20 years, he would have thought this would get easier.

There was a hissing sound, followed by a shrieking whistle, and Aang realized that the teakettle was boiling on the hearth. Katara levered herself out of the divan and crossed the room. She grasped the handle with a rag, pulling the kettle away from the flames so that it settled down.

Aang watched her move, a little ungainly but still vibrant, full of life, and gorgeous. He rose to join her as she bended a small amount of the steaming water into a cup she had ready with tea leaves.

"Oh, I don't know," Katara spoke finally, though she didn't look at her husband as she used bending to stir the tea, waiting for it to steep. "You're such a good dancer, I thought you should enjoy yourself, but I wasn't prepared for how it would feel to watch you with her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's so pretty, and young, and…thin," Katara explained, gesturing in an annoyed manner. "And you still look so perfect. I swear you haven't changed in at least 10 years."

"Um, I'm sorry?" Aang tried, not sure what she was looking for. He didn't spend much time thinking about the way he looked, but he had to concede that his shaved head tended to give him an ageless appearance, and at just 33, he hadn't yet started to gain the weight that might herald his entrance into middle age.

"I'm not even 35 yet, and I have gray hair!" Katara exclaimed as though she hadn't heard him. Aang squinted at her head, and sure enough, there were a few gray strands among the brunette, but they were scarcely visible. However, she was continuing. "I look fatigued all the time, and I'm as big as a house!"

She picked up the cup, clearly preparing to carry it back to her seat. However, it was too hot, and she quickly set it down again. Aang placed his hands over hers. At least he now had some idea of what was bothering her, and he marveled at how the tables had turned. He remembered a time when he'd despaired that Katara would ever see him as anything but a little kid. Now she was worried that he might no longer find her desirable, when nothing could be further from the truth.

"Katara, to me you will always be the most beautiful woman in the world," he informed her earnestly. She met his gaze at last.

"Really?" She looked and sounded so vulnerable, so unsure of herself. Aang felt a little guilty at being the cause of that, although he wasn't sure what he could have done to prevent it. There were many other things he could have said to reassure her. He could have told her he was well aware that these girls and young women who clustered around were only interested in him because he was the Avatar; they didn't care about Aang. He could have pointed out that she would know through their empathic bond if he actually developed feelings for any of them.

She knew all of this, though, and he didn't think it would help much to remind her. He decided to keep it simple.

"Of course," he assured her. Deciding that the situation called for a little humor, he added, "Why do you think you're pregnant so much?"

"Convenience?" she shrugged.

Aang felt his jaw drop, and his hands fell limply away from hers. He had absolutely no response to that – couldn't believe she had actually said it – but Katara just stood there calmly, absently bending her tea with one hand. Finally, she burst out laughing, unable to maintain a straight face any longer.

"I'm sorry," she giggled. "But your expression was so worth it!" Aang shook his head, glad that she at least hadn't been serious. He used airbending to cool the tea for her, and they returned to the divan. Katara sat down upon it, and he knelt at her feet while she sipped at her drink. Aang put one hand on her taut, rounded belly and felt a kick.

"They feel healthy," he remarked.

"They're boys, aren't they?" asked Katara suddenly.

"What?" Aang was taken by surprise. Although he didn't quite know how it worked, he'd learned that he had an uncanny ability to determine the gender of unborn children. He'd never been wrong, but he usually didn't tell Katara because she preferred to be surprised.

"The babies. They're boys. Come on, you can tell me this time."

"Yeah, they are," he admitted. "How did you know?"

"They seem more active than the girls," she explained. "I feel like I did with Kuzon and Lam."

"Maybe this will be the last time," he suggested, still caressing her stomach tenderly.

"You've said that the last three times," Katara replied, rolling her eyes.

"So? I have to be right eventually." He paused, gathering himself for what he was about to say. "If you want, we could…stop. At least until – until you can't…" Aang floundered, unable to remember what it was called when a woman aged beyond her child-bearing years. He looked up into Katara's face to find that her eyes had widened with surprise.

"You would do that – or rather, _not _do that – for me?" she whispered. "I mean, that could be years." He swallowed hard but nodded firmly. It would be difficult, but he would do _anything_ for her, and it was important for her to know that. She smiled and stroked his cheek fondly.

"No," she decided. "I don't think I'd enjoy that any more than you would. And I once told Sokka that we would have as many children as the spirits grant. If I tried to avoid that, I would have been lying, and I can't have that."

"Of course not," Aang agreed, trying to hide the sudden exhalation of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Besides," she added, "if I agreed to that arrangement, then no one would be able to blame you if you found…companionship elsewhere."

"Katara!" he chastised, but without any real force behind it. That mischievous glint was in her eyes again, and he knew she was just trying to shock him this evening.

Aang stood up, having an idea. He gently took the half-empty teacup out of his wife's hands, set it aside, and raised her to her feet.

"Let's dance," he suggested. Katara looked down at herself and smiled questioningly up at him.

"I'm not exactly dressed for it," she pointed out sheepishly. "And I've already sent the servants away."

"That's okay. We'll just dance right here. All I need is a beat." With that, Aang put his hand on Katara's chest, finding her heart. He let the rhythm work its way into him as he slipped his other arm around her. Extending his mind a little further, he could also sense the heartbeats of the three boys she carried, strong but much faster than their mother's, playing a counterpoint. Aang turned his attention to Katara, opening up a channel so that she could hear this. She gasped in astonishment, and he looked up to see her face filled with that soft, amazed expression peculiar to mothers. Aang was struck by it and wondered why he'd never thought to do this before.

"I do love you, you know," she murmured, leaning close to kiss him.

"What a relief," he responded lightly. "I thought it was just me."

Slowly, they began to move, dancing to music that only they could hear.

--

Author's Note: Another appearance by Avatar Aang, the human ultrasound! It was just too delicious an idea not to revisit. Part of the point of this story is that a good marriage doesn't just happen; it takes work. Are there any scenes you, my readers, would like to see here? I have a few more ideas, but I'm curious about what you're interested in.

Review responses:

Summer Sweetheart: In the last chapter, Aang and Katara had 13 children. In this one, they have 15 with 3 more on the way. I'm glad you're liking this, but I know it can't be as epic as Destiny's Call was. Just filling in the blanks.

DuHSPaZZiNGFeL: Yes, there's a reason this fic is T-rated. I decided to keep it pretty clean this chapter. I've heard there are podcasts recommending my story, but I don't know exactly what they are or who's doing them.

Loupami: Yeah, I thought that was something Zuko would say. So glad you liked it!

Billeh: My 3-year-old is in the stage where everything must be done his way, right now, or he throws a fit. Anyway, thanks!

Kumai290: I know; I thought of putting more references to general cacophony and such in, but I found that chaos is extremely hard to write.

Aangs fangirl1214: You're telling _me_ it's hard to keep track of their children? I'm the one that has to remember their ages, and how many, and decide which ones to name. I'm happy that you were able to get caught up.

ilovekataang: Well, thank you very much! I intend to continue writing as long as I am able and have ideas.


	7. Chapter 7: Goodbye

Dreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Yes, this one is sad, and I'm sorry about that, but I watched The Christmas Shoes over the holidays, and this idea started percolating then and really came to the forefront recently. I needed to get it out of my head so I could move on to other things.

**Goodbye**

It was the end. Avatar Aang knew it, even if he wasn't quite ready to accept it yet. He held Katara's withered hand as she lay nearly motionless on her bed at the Eastern Air Temple. The waterbender was now 120 years old, ancient by any standard, and she'd been sick for quite some time. Her greatly thinned hair had gone entirely to gray, and her face was as deeply lined as Aang's own. Nonetheless, as far as Aang was concerned, she looked just as beautiful as the day he'd married her.

"Aang?" Her voice was scarcely a whisper, but Aang's senses had not failed him with age, and he heard her clearly.

"I'm here," he assured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. The pale, blue eyes she turned to him were sharp and clear – clearer, in fact, than he'd seen them in a while.

"You have to let me go," she said, in a tone that brooked no argument and hearkened back to her younger days.

"I don't want to," he responded desperately. He could feel her pain and fatigue along their empathic link, and he knew it was selfish to want to keep her here under those circumstances. He still wanted it. He didn't want to be left alone.

"My mother was 28 when she died," Katara informed him. "28! Sokka and I were just children. Do you remember when I was 28?"

"Of course," Aang tried to distract himself from the present he didn't want to face with joyful memories of the past. "That's the year you had Hana and Wen Li." Katara nodded once, the barest of gestures.

"Our twelfth and thirteenth children. Out of 20. I got to see them all grow up, start families of their own, and grow old. Some of them have already died, and even our grandchildren are getting old. I'm tired, Aang. I'm ready to go." She closed her eyes as though the speech had exhausted her. It probably had. Aang understood all that she had not said. She had had a long, full life, surrounded by family and friends, but so many of those were gone. Katara and Aang had both seen more than enough death, and he could appreciate her wanting to precede any more children to the grave.

Aang looked at the darkness beyond the window. Somehow, it seemed fitting that she would choose the Winter Solstice, a key day for waterbenders, on which to die. His eyes began to spill over as he acknowledged the truth that he would soon have to live without her.

"I know," he conceded finally. "We've had 104 years of marriage, and though it could never be enough for me, I understand that you're ready to let go. I just wish I could come with you."

"I'll be waiting for you," she promised, opening her eyes again and smiling up at him tenderly. "We'll be together again."

"Goodbye, Katara," Aang choked out, unable to share in her optimism while he knew he'd have to go on with half of his soul missing. "I love you." He leaned over and kissed her. As he drew back, she emitted one final sigh. Aang knew instantly that Katara was gone because the spiritual bond in his head, the one they'd shared for more than 100 years, was suddenly broken. There was no longer anything there for him to connect to. He felt empty, alone, and cast adrift.

It wasn't fair! After traveling together for so long, they should have been able to take this last journey together. If only he didn't have to wait until Destiny was done with him. He had a feeling that the Avatar Spirit wouldn't allow him to take his own life, even though that was all he wanted right now.

The grief and anguish was too much for him to bear, and he was aware of the Avatar State taking him over. He had not needed it for decades, but now he welcomed the sensation of being pushed aside as the Avatar Spirit coursed through his body and dulled the pain of his loss.

The Avatar rose up on a whirlwind, but the room was too small to contain its power. It punched through a stone wall and propelled itself out into the night. It pulled water from the ocean, air from the atmosphere, and dust from the ground to form storm clouds. The Avatar whipped the wind into a frenzy and whirled the clouds together into an unbroken mass. Finally, it shot lightning through the clouds. Those few people who'd been caught outside ran for their homes.

At last, the storm was fully started, and it was only Aang who slumped against the temple wall, drained and weeping, allowing the rain to soak him through as the sky shared his grief.

* * *

Author's Note: Ever since I wrote the Epilogue to Destiny's Call, I knew I would have to write this eventually, but I really didn't want it to be last, for what I think are obvious reasons. I promise I have a couple of light ones in mind for the next chapters!

Review responses:

Summer Sweetheart: Yes, I got the long review for Destiny's Call, and thank you for that. I tried to write to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, but I ran out of steam somewhere down the line.

Loupami: I guess I like to know that my writing sparked some sort of emotional response – laughing, crying, something like that. I do have an idea for a short scene showing Aang and Katara as new parents, so expect that soon. Aang teaching airbending might take longer.

Spirit's Fire: Thank you. Links and e-mail addresses don't come through on this site, except in your profile, so if you want to e-mail me first, my address is available that way.

Dakyu: I assume you meant "better," but you left the word out.:) Anyway, thank you.

ilovekataang: I'm sorry about the confusion last chapter. I try to make the timing clear by the characters' ages, but I don't really like to hit people over the head with things like that.

AirGirl Phantom: Well, they're not entirely chronological, but I have sort of done a few in sets. The next two will be going far back into the past. Since they'd only been married about three months before Katara found out she was pregnant, there isn't much "early marriage" that doesn't involve pregnancy or children, but I'll give it some thought.

poka: I struck you speechless? I hope that means it was really good.

Airwalker88: Well, thank you. And yes, Kataang does rule!

shiro-wolfman-k: Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're still out there.

Aangsfan: I'm trying to keep up with this, along with my other projects. The next two I have in mind will be short, so I should be able to get them posted pretty quickly.

nutshak: Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8: Eavesdropping

Dreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I know I'm out of my usual sequence here, but this one was fast to write, and I thought you all deserved something light after the last chapter.

Eavesdropping

A dark-skinned young man wandered unsteadily through the hallways of the Bei Fong estate, moderately inebriated. He had the vague idea that he was looking for something, but he couldn't remember what.

The wedding of Toph Bei Fong had been quite an extravagant affair, and if her parents had any reservations about the man she'd chosen to be her husband, it didn't show in the celebration. After all, she was their only daughter, and Haru was a highly skilled earthbender, which held a status of its own in the hometown of Earth Rumble tournaments.

The man realized that he had found his way into the wrong wing when he heard the Avatar's name through a door. Curious, he paused for a moment to listen. However, when he recognized some of the other sounds emitting from the room and realized what the couple in there was likely doing, or at least preparing to do, he quickly pushed himself away.

As he leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, it was all the young man could do to prevent the wedding dinner (and the accompanying wine) from being a total waste on his metabolism. In fact, he was already eyeing a nearby potted plant as a potential receptacle.

With a supreme effort of will, however, the man contained his gorge and stumbled further away. The shock he'd just experienced had cleared about half of the effects of the alcohol out of his brain, and he decided that he'd better find his own wife. Getting his bearings, he set off to do just that, hoping that the combination of her company and the lingering effects of his drunkenness would eventually wipe his mind clear of the last few minutes.

After all, Sokka could have happily lived his entire life without ever hearing his sister use _that _particular tone of voice.

--

Author's Note: And I think a couple of twins might have been conceived! I know this one is a little weird, but at least it's short. This idea's been persistently in my head for a long time, and I couldn't figure out a way to work it into a longer story, so I decided to slip it in here.

Review responses:

airnaruto45: Yeah, I know. Mine's a bit of a switch, since most stories seem to have Aang dying first.

Kumori Doragon: I don't mind tragedy and sadness if it's in small doses. At times, it can even be very beautiful, but then I always have to balance it out with fluff.

TTAvatarfan: I know I don't, but every now and then, a good idea for something poignant occurs to me. I just realized that the people who reviewed the last chapter were totally different than the previous one. Interesting.


	9. Chapter 9: Sleepless

Dreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Loupami wanted to see a story of Aang and Katara as new parents, so here's a snippet.

Sleepless

The first night Keylana and Tien-Anh actually slept through was a surprisingly nerve-wracking one. It was something Aang had been looking forward to, but he found that he woke up about every hour to check on them, partly because that had basically been their schedule for the past month or so.

While Aang technically didn't need to get up every time the babies did, he usually had. Since there were two of them, he could hold one, calming her and letting her suck on his finger while Katara got the other situated. After that, Aang's helped to arrange the second twin in feeding position, since it was awkward for Katara to do this with only one hand free. There was also burping to be done, and Katara needed help putting the girls back to bed when they were full and sleepy again.

Besides all that, Aang would often sit up and keep Katara company, especially when the babies just wanted a warm body to hold them. Despite being 15 and near the peak of his sleeping ability, Aang had adapted reasonably well to the interrupted rest.

"What's wrong?" Katara mumbled sleepily when he returned to bed after one of his excursions that night.

"Nothing," he assured her. "Just making sure the twins are still breathing. Shouldn't they be waking up to eat or something?"

"They're supposed to sleep through the night eventually," she pointed out, although she winced a little as she probed at her overly full breasts and checked the folded cloths she'd placed to absorb any escaping milk. Then, she yawned and rolled over. "Relax and enjoy it."

Some time later that night, however, Aang woke to find that Katara was not in bed. He got up and caught her coming back from the nursery. They smiled at each other, Katara sheepishly and Aang understandingly, and he recognized that she was not quite as unconcerned as she had seemed earlier.

Finally satisfied that everything was all right, Aang slept soundly until dawn broke with first one cry, then another.

--

Author's Note: It's cute, right? I haven't had twins, but I would imagine there would be some serious logistics involved with even the most basic things. My updates might be kind of sporadic for a while. My husband lost his job last week, so he's going to need my moral support and assistance in searching for a new one.

Review responses:

TTAvatarfan: I don't abuse Sokka as much as some, but he's still useful to have something strange or embarrassing happen.

PrincessOfTheDigimon: Your wish is my command. Well, not really, but I did update this fairly quickly.

donjonkeeper: I recognize that the last one was strange. I leave what exactly he heard to your imagination. This chapter is more normal.

Dakyu: Genius? Thank you!

Fusion Blaster: My thoughts exactly – on everything.

Loupami: Glad you found it funny.


	10. Chapter 10: Life Lessons

Dreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Life Lessons

"Okay, everyone," Aang announced to his children one morning, trying to pull their attention away from their warm-ups. "Today we're going to learn my favorite airbending move – the air scooter." He demonstrated it for them, whirling the air in front of him into a ball. Then, he perched on it.

"It's harder than it looks, so don't be discouraged if you don't get it right away," he added, dispelling the scooter so that he could be available to help. He knew this would be especially difficult for the younger ones. There were seven in his "class" now: 9-year-old Keylana and Tien-Anh, 7-year-old Ming and Kim, and the triplets, Ti, Xi, and Yi. He hadn't been too crazy about the rhyming scheme of those last three, but Katara had insisted it would be easier for her, and it's awfully difficult to argue with a woman who's just given birth to three babies at once.

The triplets were now five and had just recently begun taking lessons with their sisters, much to Katara's relief, who had her hands full with the two little boys and another pregnancy. Aang was finding it increasingly difficult to teach them the same lessons, since the newer students still had to cover the basics while the oldest were ready for new things. It was a balancing act – much like riding the air scooter. Or parenthood, for that matter.

Keylana and Tien-Anh picked up the air scooter technique quickly, as Aang had guessed they would. He let them concentrate on it on their own for a while as he helped the younger girls to keep their seat, teaching them to feel the air's movement but not let themselves get carried along with it.

"You can use it to move around, too," Aang added, seeing that the eldest were already mastering staying in one place. He created his scooter again and zoomed around them, distracting some so that they fell into heaps.

"This is amazing!" sighed Keylana after a little trip around on her own. "It's so fast!"

"Better than riding Appa," Tien-Anh agreed as she whipped by.

"Wait until I teach you gliding," Aang said tantalizingly. He was running behind in building their gliders, but they'd get to it eventually. He was already 24 and swore he couldn't remember where half of the time since his wedding had gone. Katara joked that he'd spent it on night feedings and diaper changing, and there was probably something to that.

"How old were you when you learned how to do this?" demanded Yi, getting frustrated when her coordination was not quite adequate to keep her balanced. Aang grinned proudly.

"Actually, I made it up," he answered. The girls all gasped and abandoned their attempts, clustering around him and babbling follow-up questions. With an effort, Aang managed to quiet them down.

"You see, the airbenders all had to invent a new move in order to become masters," he explained. In spite of everything that happened later, he still had fond memories of being declared the youngest master airbender ever. "That was mine. I was twelve at the time, but I taught it to a lot of other kids."

"Will we ever meet any other airbenders, Daddy?" asked Xi innocently. Aang paused as he pondered how to answer her. The oldest twins knew the story, but he didn't talk about it much. It was still hard to think about his past without feeling a profound sense of loss. Fully engaging himself with his family helped a lot, but he wasn't sure he'd see the void left by the absence of the airbenders completely filled in his lifetime.

"I was the last airbender," he said finally, deciding to leave out the details. They all had a right to know, he supposed, but it could wait until they were older. "All of the others died more than 100 years ago. So the only other airbenders you'll ever meet will be from our family."

"That's sad," Ti frowned, almost looking like she was going to cry.

"It's okay," Kim assured her little sister, coming over and putting an arm around her. "The airbenders will always be with us. They live through us." Aang was astonished at the wisdom she showed in those words, well beyond her years. He shook it off and smiled, determined to get back on track.

"Let's save story time for after dinner," he decided. "Get back to practicing your air scooters."

Aang was helping the triplets with their balance some time later when he noticed two interlopers on the fringes. He went over and knelt in front of them so that he could speak at eye level.

"You're too young to be here yet," he reminded his three-year-old boys. "Where's Mommy?"

"Mommy feel sick," Kuzon declared.

"Sick," echoed Lam. Aang stood up, immediately concerned. Katara was eight months pregnant now, and any illness had to be taken seriously. He tasked Keylana with keeping an eye on the boys and put Tien-Anh temporarily in charge of the practice.

He opened his mind to the spiritual link he shared with his wife and walked into the apartment in the temple that they'd made into their home. There wasn't really anything alarming in her emotions, a sense of resignation more than anything else. He found her leaning forward against the counter in the kitchen, one hand pressed to the small of her back.

"The boys said you were sick," he explained. "Are you okay?"

"Are you ready for two more?" she sighed instead of answering.

"Are we ever? Wait, you mean now?"

Katara nodded, and just a moment later, her breathing changed, and he felt the tightening inside her that was not quite pain yet.

"Get to bed," Aang instructed her. "I'll be right back."

"You know I'm supposed to move around at this stage," she objected.

"Yeah, and I also know that makes the process go faster," he tossed back as he turned around. "Not until the midwife gets here." She gave a weak laugh as he returned to the kids.

"All right, girls, the babies are coming," Aang announced. "Remember what to do?" They'd been practicing this for weeks. Katara's labors had seemed to get progressively shorter, and Aang lived in fear of the day she'd barely have time to tell him it was time before one would be making an appearance. He didn't know if that was even possible, and he hoped he wouldn't have to find out. He had no intention of delivering a baby by himself. He had already learned he was far better than Sokka in these situations, but even he had to draw the line somewhere.

The girls immediately took to their tasks: Keylana went to fetch the midwife while Tien-Anh took charge of the boys and Ming and Kim divided up responsibilities on the triplets. The older girls were supposed to keep the younger children occupied and out of the way, and Keylana would help when she got back.

Satisfied that his plan was going smoothly so far, Aang returned to his wife's side. Remarkably, she was actually in the vicinity of the bed. However, instead of lying on it, she was kneeling beside it, bending forward to rest her upper body on the low mattress. In familiar territory here, Aang sank down behind her, rubbing her lower back.

"Have you eaten anything since that bread this morning?" he murmured.

"No. I was already feeling kind of queasy," she admitted. Aang was grateful for that. Two of her labors had taken off shortly after she'd eaten full meals, and she'd thrown most of them up. The midwife had said that was common; something about the body not having enough energy to deliver a baby and digest food at the same time.

When he sensed another contraction coming, Aang reached his free hand around Katara to rest on her belly, concentrating on feeling the contraction of muscles at the same time as he got the emotional signal from her. He laid his head on her shoulder, murmuring reassurances into her ear.

"The contractions are six minutes apart, but her water hasn't broken yet," he was able to tell the midwife when she arrived. She'd also brought along her sister as an assistant.

"Thank you," the midwife acknowledged the information. She and Aang had worked out something of a pattern for these events. "Get her to the bed. I need to check her."

Aang helped Katara to her feet, held her through another contraction, and assisted her to the bed.

"I should check on the kids and get them some food," he said then.

"Aang," Katara pleaded, grasping his hand tightly. He stayed until the next contraction had passed, and then kissed her forehead.

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "You're in good hands. I won't miss the big stuff." He knew that he likely had at least an hour before the babies made their appearance, considerably more if her water didn't break soon. Still, he hoped to get back to her within 10 minutes.

Aang rushed outside and waved away all questions as he herded his children into the house for lunch. He prepared bowls of rice and vegetables hurriedly steamed using his bending abilities and sliced bread and cheese. By the next time this happened, he estimated that Keylana and Tien-Anh would be able to handle things like this, but they weren't quite there yet.

"Can you keep them occupied for another hour or two?" he asked his eldest twins anxiously. "I think that's as long as it will take." Tien-Anh grinned confidently.

"It won't take much less than an hour to make sure they're all fed," she said. That was certainly true. The boys still needed a lot of help, partly because they couldn't manage chopsticks yet, but also because they had a hard time staying focused on eating. They also required a fair amount of cleanup afterward.

"And after that, we'll have to clean up the dishes," added Keylana.

"And the floor," Ming added under her breath.

"Ooh, can we dry?" clamored the triplets in near-unison. They were at the age when they loved to help with chores, and drying dishes gave them airbending practice, too.

"That's the plan," Keylana assured them, giving her father a wink.

_Thank you,_ he mouthed to her.

"Ming and I will chase the boys around," Kim contributed.

"They'll probably nap after half an hour of that," Ming added.

"No nap!" Lam protested angrily.

"Not tired!" Kuzon concurred. Aang just smiled, certain that his daughters had matters well in hand. He gave each child a quick kiss on their heads before grabbing a hunk of bread for himself and dashing back to the bedroom.

The midwife was walking Katara around the room. Suddenly, Katara gave a gasp, and fluid gushed out onto the floor. Fortunately, cloths had been laid down for just such a circumstance. Aang wiped down her legs, tossed the wet stuff into a laundry pile, and got fresh cloths and towels.

"I told you I wouldn't miss anything big," he whispered, supporting her on one side. "You're doing great. It won't be long now."

It wasn't, either. A little over an hour later, two baby girls had been washed and wrapped in blankets. They were beautiful, with gray eyes looking with intense curiosity out of their tiny, squished faces.

The midwife and her sister had taken all the soiled garments, sheets, and other cloth items to soak and giving the couple a few moments alone with their newborns. Katara was in a clean nightgown, holding the twins as she lay resting in the bed. Aang kissed her.

"You're really amazing," he told her. "Do you know that?"

"Yeah, I am," Katara agreed, smiling tiredly. Aang chuckled.

"Ready for company?" he asked, and she nodded. He gathered the other children and brought them in to meet their new sisters. He also brought some buttered bread and a cup of water for Katara, knowing that she would be hungry.

The boys were not sleeping yet, but they were starting to look tired. Aang intended to see them to their beds as soon as these introductions were done.

"Baby," Lam remarked as he was lifted up to see better.

"And another baby," added Kuzon, not to be outdone.

"That's right. Two babies," Aang said to them. "They and Mommy need to rest now, so go back out to the living room. I'll come play with you soon."

"You know, I was just thinking," sighed Katara as Aang lingered for a minute. "I don't think we're going to have to explain much to our children about where babies come from." Aang laughed. He'd never thought about that.

"Well, it wasn't the lesson I was intending to teach today," he said thoughtfully. "But I guess it works."

--

Author's Note: This is for the people who wanted to see Aang giving an airbending lesson. I also realized I hadn't done a birth scene yet, so I sort of combined the two.

Review responses:

PrincessOfTheDigimon: Um, sorry about the delay. Life got in the way for a while, plus I decided I could take a little break from this after posting three chapters in a row.

AvatarKatara38: Thanks!

shiro-wolfman-k: I'm glad you liked it. I really think Aang and Katara will make great parents, and I'm surprised more writers don't explore that. I guess it helps to have experience.

Vanille Strawberry: If you'd like to give me any insights on how twins interact, it might help me out. I've heard that when twins are really new, they usually both cry and need things at about the same time, like you said. When they get a little older, though, if one wakes up in the night but doesn't immediately need something, they'll see that they have company and go back to sleep again. Older single babies will just cry because it's dark and they're lonely.

BlackRose108: Well, I'll try, but those first weeks are kind of hard to write about. It's just a blur of feedings, trying to catch food and sleep yourself, and the occasional doctor visit.

Loupami: Great, I'm glad I fulfilled your imaginings.

Aangs fangirl1214: Thanks for the positive thoughts. He starts a new job right after Memorial Day! I'm sorry, but since Aang was 14 when he got married, 15 for fatherhood seems reasonable. Girls were often married at 12 or 13 in the middle ages.


	11. Chapter 11: Shared Experience

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I've realized I took several months off from this, and updates may be sporadic from now on. This was really the last idea that I originally had, so I'll just add one when something else occurs to me. There have been reader suggestions that I'll consider.

**Shared Experience**

It was odd, Katara reflected, to be pregnant at the same time as your daughter. It was even stranger to realize that the twins she now carried were going to be younger than a couple of their nieces or nephews.

Now approaching her 36th birthday, Katara was a grandmother already thanks to Keylana, who'd had a daughter last year. However, Keylana and her husband had settled in the Earth Kingdom, so Katara didn't see their family nearly as often as she would like.

As a result, it was Tien-Anh's first pregnancy that Katara was sharing in. Tien-Anh had stayed at the Eastern Air Temple and would often come over for a cup of tea. While drinking it, she'd discuss how she was feeling and get advice on what to expect in the coming months.

Katara was just glad that she was far enough behind her daughter that she'd easily be able to help out when Tien-Anh's time came. After delivering other women's babies and having 18 of her own so far, she really wanted to be a part of this. Tien-Anh was a little scared, which was natural, and Katara hoped she was sending her off reassured after the current visit. Fortunately, the tendency toward multiple births did not seem to have carried into the next generation, which was going to save them from some of the complications Aang and Katara had had.

Not that Katara regretted a moment of it. She'd found it surprisingly easy to get into the role of wife and mother. After her part in helping to end the 100 years' war, she could think of nothing more useful to do than return a group of healthy airbenders to the world.

At the same time, she was really hoping these next two would be waterbenders. She practiced bending whenever she could, and she'd always looked forward to passing her skills on to her own children. She'd already trained her niece Kira, who was now living on her own but generously spent a lot of her time helping Katara with the housework and the kids who remained at home, which was still most of them. Lately, Kira had been seeing one of the young men who lived in their steadily growing colony, and Katara was looking forward to Sokka's reaction to that developing relationship. Even though Kira had spent a lot of her childhood with her aunt and uncle, Katara believed that Sokka still possessed a protective streak for his only daughter.

As Katara swept up the tea things and washed them, Aang popped his head in the door. He'd been outside playing with the children. There was probably some airbending going on, but it was nothing formal because the youngest children were also there. The three two-year-old boys, in particular, wouldn't stand for any activity going on that didn't make them the center of attention.

"Is she gone?" Aang asked before entering. He'd taken to making himself absent during these visits because the two women tended to get very earthy in their conversations. Katara had to admit that, while one pregnant woman talked of little besides her pregnancy, two of them together couldn't seem to find _any _other topic. Still, Katara rolled her eyes.

"Yes, she's gone, but I don't understand why it bothers you so much," she said. "You and I have talked about this stuff a million times over the last 18 years or so."

"That's different," he asserted. "You're my wife. I'm supposed to be intimate with you, and I want to be. Whenever I look at Tien-Anh, I have to think about the fact that I'm letting some guy do _that _with my daughter. Hearing you two talk about it so openly is more than I can take."

"He's not 'some guy', he's her husband, and you made her betrothal bracelet yourself!"

"So, what are you saying?" Aang shrugged unconcernedly. "Only pregnant women are allowed to be irrational?" A teasing half-smile and twinkle in the eye accompanied this, and Katara smiled indulgently back. Eight pregnancies ago, such a comment would have earned him at least a water whip, but age and abundant motherhood had mellowed Katara considerably.

"Of course not," she replied in the same tone. "Expectant fathers have just as much right to irrationality." Aang grinned broadly at that. They'd both seen plenty of crazed fathers-to-be by this time.

"That's very generous of you."

"Speaking of intimacy," added Katara, moving toward her husband and twining her arms around his neck. "How would you like some of that after the children go to bed?" She was at the window of her condition where she was feeling really blooming and healthy, before her stomach got so big that closeness became awkward.

"You even need to ask?" he returned, pulling her close and kissing her neck. "Could it be bedtime now?"

"I'm afraid not," Katara chuckled, although she gave him a playful nip on the ear. "Besides, I haven't had a chance to play with the kids much today." While Aang remained the more playful one, Katara tried to make time for fun with her children, too.

"Oh, all right," Aang gave in mournfully. He gave her a quick kiss and released her reluctantly. "You go ahead. I'll start putting dinner together."

"Can we have meat tonight?" She was starting to crave that.

"No, but I'll add eggs to the fried rice."

"Okay, but meat tomorrow."

"You're cooking it."

"I want you to do it." Katara displayed the pout she'd spent years perfecting, the one she knew he couldn't resist, especially when she was carrying his children.

"If you insist." Aang gave a long-suffering sigh, but Katara knew it was mostly dramatics. Completely satisfied with herself, Katara walked into the double warmth of sunshine and her family.

--

Author's Note: The thing about two pregnant women not being able to talk about anything else is something I learned years ago, long before I was married.

Review responses:

Summer Sweetheart: According to the Lost Scrolls: Air, airbenders had to come up with a new technique to be declared masters. This can also be found on Wikipedia. The creators said that Aang was the youngest person to ever achieve master status.

shiro-wolfman-k: I read the translation of your review back when you sent it, but I'm too lazy to do it again. I remember it was complimentary, so thank you.:)

Vanille Strawberry: Yes, thank you. I'm not sure how much use I'll be able to make of it, but it's always good to collect information.

Dakyu: Thanks! I think I have a couple of good lines here, too.

Aangsfan: One or two others showed Aang as a father, but the last chapter was the first one with him as teacher.

BlackRose108: I had planned out how many children, rough spacing between them, and the genders beforehand. I originally only had the name of the firstborn, so I've been making the rest up as I go along. I'll consider the wedding idea.

Aangs fangirl1214: It's even worse – the 13-year-old girls were often married to men who were 40 or 50! This was mainly the upper classes, of course. And I suppose having that many younger siblings would tend to make the eldest girls responsible.

Ocaj: Yes, I enjoy the quiet relationship moments, possibly because I know how important they are in my own marriage.

ilovekataang: Yeah, I'm sorry about the delay. I got absorbed with other projects and life in general. Having a three-year-old boy myself, it was kind of fun to write that part.

Moongirl83: Seven sets of twins, two sets of triplets. Katara's pregnant for the last set of twins in this chapter. Of course, she doesn't know that.


	12. Chapter 12: Ready or Not

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Ugh, I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted anything! Well, I've been really busy. Anyway, here we go from the last pregnancy to the first. Another delivery story, a bit more detailed than the previous one.

**Ready or Not**

Katara felt alone and scared. She was about to give birth to her first child – followed shortly thereafter by her second – and Aang wasn't there.

She wasn't really alone, of course. The midwife and two other women were attending her labor, assisting in various ways and preparing for the twins' arrival, but Katara missed her husband. She could feel him drawing closer, but she couldn't tell whether he'd make it in time.

A contraction seized her abdomen, and she allowed the other women to coach her through it. She'd helped delivering babies before, but it was somehow an entirely different world when it was you trying to bring new life into the world. It helped to have someone to remind her what she was supposed to do.

Katara relaxed back into the bed and breathed deeply. The pains were lasting longer, coming closer together, and getting more intense. She didn't think she had too much farther to go, which was a relief. She'd been doing this all day, and it wasn't called "labor" for nothing. She was exhausted and ready for it all to be over.

_Aang!_ she called out in her mind when the next contraction gripped her.

…_coming_… she heard in return, and she was so surprised that she almost forgot to breathe. Although Aang could sometimes pick up words from her across their spiritual link, it had never worked in her mind before. Maybe it was the stress of the situation.

Not long afterward, Katara heard Aang's feet pounding into the kitchen. The two attending women tried to block his entrance into the bedroom.

"You can't come in here," one of them insisted.

"That's my wife and children in there, and I _am _going in," he replied emphatically. Her line of sight was partially blocked, but Katara could feel him getting ready to sweep the ladies out of his way with wind if he had to. Apparently sensing his determination as clearly as she did, the two women gave way. Although at first glance, Aang was just a lanky 15-year-old boy, he could be impressive when he wanted to be, and his message had been clear. He crossed the room in long strides and took Katara's hand in his. She squeezed as the pain and tightness started again.

"Well, as long as you're here, you might as well make yourself useful," said the midwife, handing Aang a wet cloth. "Put this on her forehead, and freshen it with new water when it gets warm." Katara had hardly realized that she was sweating, but the cloth did feel good.

"She's early," Aang commented worriedly. "Is she going to be all right?"

"She and the babies should be fine," the midwife responded. "Twins usually come early."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he demanded. "I wouldn't have gone to Omashu!"

"I didn't know," whispered Katara. "No twins at the South Pole."

"I'm sorry," the midwife added. "It's very unusual for a woman to know she's having twins ahead of time. I just didn't think of it."

Eventually, there was a lapse in the pangs, and Katara began to breathe easier. It was several minutes before Aang noticed the change.

"What's going on?" he asked. "The contractions have stopped."

"It's okay," Katara told him. "It's transition." She laid her head back and closed her eyes.

"Transition?" Aang echoed.

"When the baby positions itself in the birth canal," the midwife explained. "Best let her rest now. She'll have a lot to do when it starts up again." If there was any more conversation, Katara didn't hear it because she lapsed into a light sleep.

She awakened with a gasp some time later. Aang squeezed her hand immediately, reassuring her with his presence.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I – I need to push," she managed.

"Um…"

"Not just yet," the midwife was suddenly there. "Breathe out quickly until the feeling passes." Katara did as she was told, finding that resisting that urge was one of the hardest things she'd ever done. Meanwhile, the midwife was giving instructions to the other women. They assisted Katara to the end of the bed, where Aang helped to support her in a half-upright position. Each woman took hold of one foot, and the midwife positioned herself between Katara's legs. While this was happening, Katara had to once again fend off a powerful contraction. The midwife spread some kind of oil inside her to soften the path the twins would take.

"All right, next time you feel one coming on, take a deep breath and bear down until it's over," she instructed. Katara knew she was almost done now, and the thought gave her new strength. Aang was surprisingly helpful, since he was able to sense the contractions. He encouraged her to push at the right times, while the women at her feet pushed against her to increase the power of her efforts.

"I'm glad you're here," she told him during one break.

"Me too," he whispered back, smoothing some of her sweaty hair back and kissing her forehead.

For a while, Katara was sure she would never manage to get even the first head out, let alone two complete infants. However, she finally heard the women announce that a head was out, and one more push sent the body out as well. After this, Katara was able to rest briefly before repeating the whole process a second time.

At last, the two baby girls had been washed and wrapped in blankets, and Katara sat propped up in her bed. Aang sat beside her on the mattress, holding the eldest of the twins, while Katara cradled the other. The three women had not yet left, but they'd withdrawn to another room.

"They look just like you," Aang remarked, gazing in amazement at the daughter in his arms.

"Except they have your eyes," Katara replied. Large, gray eyes in the tiny face were staring up at her very seriously, and Katara wondered what she might be thinking.

"So, what are we going to name them?"

"I'd like the first one to have a Water Tribe name," Katara turned to look at the baby in Aang's arms. "I like Keylana." They'd talked about names a little, but they'd assumed they'd have more time when he returned from Omashu, so they hadn't really settled on anything.

"Keylana, then," Aang formally named the little girl, and she gurgled as though approving. "Is it okay if the other one gets a name from the Air Nomads?"

"Of course." Katara paused. "You already knew they were girls, didn't you?" Aang shrugged as well as he could with his arms full, but guilt was written all over his face.

"I thought you'd want to be surprised," he said apologetically. Katara thought it over.

"You were right," she decided. "I wouldn't have wanted to know. So, what name did you have picked?"

"Tien-Anh."

"Tien-Anh." Katara repeated it, feeling the sounds on her tongue. "I like it. You are Tien-Anh." The girl did not respond because she had fallen asleep. Katara suddenly wanted very much to join her. She'd initially felt a surge of energy after completing the delivery, but her exhaustion was beginning to catch up with her. The two women came in, one of them bearing a tray, and the smell of something on it also reminded Katara that she hadn't eaten anything since early morning.

"You need to eat, and then you should rest," said the woman crisply. Katara handed over Tien-Anh to the other woman and obeyed both suggestions in short order. As much as she wanted to enjoy her little girls, there would be plenty of time for that, and she had already put in a full day's work.

--

Author's Note: A little instructive and fluffy at the same time. A lot of this was based on my first labor. Of course, I skipped to the end to save time.

Review responses:

Summer Sweetheart: Yes, I did try to be as accurate as possible and to note when I was intentionally changing something from canon.

nutshak: Yes, well, here's a little more "familiness."

lorelessbison: I was aware of the similarities, but given how long Katara was having children, the situation was perfectly logical.

Ocaj: Actually, women in general will talk about a lot of stuff openly that you probably don't want to know about. I think we tend to be earthy by nature, and pregnancy/childbirth only increases that tendency.

Katsumara: For the record, my husband didn't like the idea of twins and triplets, but as you said, I thought it would be a little easier on Katara to only have nine pregnancies. It also allowed her to enjoy a lot of her life after she stopped conceiving.


	13. Chapter 13: The Change

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I was watching a rerun of Little House on the Prairie recently, and I got to thinking about how Katara might handle menopause.

**The Change**

Aang returned from putting the youngest children to bed, looking forward to the evening quiet time that had become his habit to share with Katara whenever possible. The pair spent a great deal of their time being parents – and now grandparents – but Aang didn't want them to forget that they were also husband and wife. As he sat down beside her, however, he could sense that she was troubled about something.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me with something," she admitted, turning slightly to face him. "I think I might be pregnant again. I've missed two cycles, but I don't feel quite right." Aang was taken a little bit by surprise at this. It had been five years since their waterbending daughters were born, and he was beginning to think they were finally done.

"Well, let's see," he agreed. It was difficult to sense new life at this early stage, but if he concentrated really hard, he could usually do it. He placed one hand on Katara's stomach and closed his eyes. After about a minute, he opened them again and shook his head. "There's nothing there."

"Oh."

Silence reigned for a while. Aang really didn't know what to say, so he waited for Katara to speak again. Finally, she did.

"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" she whispered. Her tone and emotional condition were both a little worrying to Aang.

"You're the healer. What do you think?" he hedged.

"I don't know. It's hard to be objective when I'm the patient."

Aang licked his lips, wondering if he should mention what he was thinking. At last, he decided it would be better coming from him than anyone else.

"You know, there is another possibility," he offered hesitantly.

"What?"

"You might just be…getting to that stage in your life where you won't have those cycles anymore." After all, she was almost 42 years old, although Aang thought it politic not to mention the actual number.

"Oh. Oh!" Katara paused thoughtfully. "Do you really think so?"

"I just know it's something that's supposed to happen eventually."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Katara fell silent again, and Aang could feel her melancholy.

"Are you okay?" he pressed, putting his arm around her. She snuggled in close to him and sighed.

"Yes," she said. "I guess it just reminds me that I'm getting older."

"We all are," he reminded her gently. "I thought you'd be kind of relieved when this finally happened. The pregnancies were starting to really wear you out."

"I know," she agreed. "I hadn't really given it much thought. I certainly didn't expect to feel this way."

"What way?"

"Like…well, like less of a woman somehow."

"What?" Aang grasped Katara by the shoulders and turned her to face him again. "You've had 20 children, not to mention grandchildren. Isn't that enough to prove your womanhood?"

"Hey, I never understood all the stuff you felt you had to do to prove your manhood when we were younger!"

Aang was at first taken aback, but then he smiled a little in spite of himself.

"Fair enough," he conceded. "My point is that you're not just a womb. You're an incredible woman and, even more incredibly, my wife. I love you, no matter what happens and no matter how old we get."

"Oh, Aang, that's so sweet!" She kissed him spontaneously.

"This lets you focus on training our daughters in waterbending, too," he pointed out. "It's perfect timing, if you think about it."

"That's true." Katara visibly brightened at the mention of waterbending, and Aang felt heartened enough to go on.

"To tell you the truth, I've been sort of looking forward to this stage of our lives," he confessed. "Now we don't have to worry so much about scheduling." He placed a hand on her thigh to make his meaning clear. She swatted the hand away playfully.

"Is that all you think about?" she accused, but the twinkle in her eye and spark in her emotions let him know that he was on the right path to get them to the bedroom early tonight.

"It's a refreshing change from thinking about saving the world," he quipped, nuzzling her neck briefly. "Besides that, I'll be glad to have more time together, just the two of us. I mean, we were so young when we started. I can hardly believe now that I was only 15 when I became a father. I love all of our children, and I wouldn't trade a minute, but it's nice to think that we'll have some time to just be man and wife together once they're grown and on their own."

"You aren't wishing our children's lives away now, are you?"

"Of course not. It's just that, now that I know there won't be any more babies, I'm looking forward to spending time with my wife more as a woman than a mother."

"You know, I do like the sound of that," Katara murmured, but her brow furrowed. "Are you sure you don't think I'm getting old?" Aang began nibbling on her earlobe.

"If you want me to prove that I still find you attractive, I'd be more than happy," he informed her while he took hold of one breast. After a little more encouragement, she accepted the invitation, and he thought he did a pretty good job of proving his point.

--

Author's Note: I'm sorry so many of these seem to relate to sex somehow, but that's just where my mind seems to go with them. And being married to a 49-year-old man, I can tell you that the desire doesn't diminish all that much with age.

Review responses:

Summer Sweetheart: Actually, my two deliveries were not that bad. It was the aftermath of the first one that was strenuous.

Katsumara: Yes, and the enjoyment of life is about to begin in this one. I've heard that babies practically fall out on their own by the fourth, but since I only had two, I can't swear to that. And aside from some stretched skin and larger breasts, the body generally does recover.

growabrain: Actually, I knew that about Asians and milk. I'm also aware that you're starting to grow taller on a more "western" diet (milk through the growing years, more meat, etc.). Babies still need milk, though, and it's not bad to have an alternate source available.

Bard Child: Well, yes, that's the idea. It's funny how the idea of starting a new race of airbenders was never mentioned in the show itself. That would have been an excellent opportunity for humorous dialogue.


End file.
